Starting device for internal-combustion engines.



E. A. HALBLEIB.

STARTING DEVICE FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION IIL'ED SEPT. 6, 1910.

1,024,447. Patented. Apr. 23, 1912.

' INTAKE EXPLOSION EXHAUST '1) ili ears a'rnr oi rrbn EDWARD A. HALBLEIIB, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO NORTHEAST ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, A CORPORATIOIN'.

STARTING DEVICE FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent. v Patented Apr. 23, 1912.

Application filed September 6, 1910. Serial No. 580,785.

To all whom it may concern:

Devices for Internal-Combustion Engines,

of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to starting devices.

for internal-combustion engines, of the type in which a source of compressed combustible mixture is connected with the cylinders of a multi-cylinder engine through an automatic distributer by which the mixtureis directed to the proper cylinders.

The object of the invention is to produce a distributer for this purpose which shall be simple and compact in construction and reliable in' operation, and in which the movement of the parts is reduced to a minimum.

To this end the invention consists in the mechanism hereinafter described, as it is defined in the succeeding claims.

The drawing represents a horizontal cross-section of an automatic distributing mechanism embodying the present invention, with an engine and a pump illustrated diagrammatically in connection therewith.

The device is represented as adapted for the control of a four-cylinder four-cycle motor in which the cylinders 1, 2, 3, and 4 fire successively in the order named.

The distributer of the illustrated device comprises a block 5 having an annular chamber 6 that is adapted to be supplied with explosive mixture. Any means for supplying such mixture under pressure may be used. In the drawing a hand pump 8 is connected with the chamber 6 by a pipe 7, and with a mixer comprising an air-intake 9 combined with a needle-valve 10 that is supplied with liquid hydrocarbon through a pipe 11. A checlovalve 12 is also shown in the pipe 7 to prevent. the mixture backing up into the pump.

The cylinders of the motor are, respectively, connected through pipes 13 with plugs 14 which are screwed into the block 5. WVithin the central portion of the block 5, and in line with said plugs 14:, are chambers 15 and 16, which contain slidable valves 17 and 18, respectively. The valves are beveled, on their ends so as to seat tightly against beveled seats at the ends of the while the piston of cylinder 1 would be just beginning the exhaust-stroke. As the piston of cylinder 1 moved upwardly and over the dead-center into the position shown, the air contained within the head of the cylinder was compressed and caused to flow through the pipe 13 and against the valve 18, forcing the latter to move into the position shown in the drawing, and the compression in cylinder 2 had forced the valve 17 to move in the opposite direct-ion into the position in which'it is shown in the drawing.

Ducts 19, 20, 21 and 22 connect, respectively, the chambers 15 and 16 with the annular chamber 6. These ducts are so placed that they are covered and uncovered by the movements of the valves 17 and 18, respectively. Accordingly it is obvious that when the engine stops in the position shown in the drawings, the valve 17 will have closed the duct 19, and the valve 18 will have closed the duct 22, leaving the ducts 20 and 21 open. It now the pump 8 is operated, the explosive mixture will be forced into the annular chamber 6, and thence" through those passagcs that are open, vib:

the duct 20 which in connection with its pipe 13 leads to cylinder 2, and the duct 21 which in connectlon with its pipe 13 leads to cyllnder 1. After those cylinders have been charged to a sufiicient degree the ignition apparatus of the engine may be operated in any suitable manner to produce combustion in the cylinder whose piston has passed compression and is on the down stroke, as indicated in cylinder 1. The impulse so produced starts the movement of the engine and is shortly followed and reinforced by an impulse in the cylinder 2.

Thereafter the engine operates in the usual manner, and the operation of the pump 8 is discontinued. 7

When the engine is running, each-of the valves 17 and 18 is moved in succession, first one way and then the other, in the chambers 15 and 16 by the pressure transmitted from the cylinders, so that in whatever position the engine may come to rest when stopped the starting device is in position tocharge those cylinders in which the pis tons, are on the compression stroke or the expansion stroke. e

. A. piece of wire gauze 23 placed in each of the pipes 13 prevents the fire in the cylinder from lighting themixture. back through said pipes.

I claim: y,

1. The combination with a plurality of cylinders, of a distributer having a corresponding number of ducts communicating with said cylinders, respectively, and having also passages that'afi'ord communication between said ducts and extraneous means adapted to charge them with an explosive mixture; valves insaid passages, respectively, adapted to pass fluid under pressureonly in the direction of said ducts; and valve means subjected to the fluid pressure exerted by the compression strokes of the cylinders, and adapted to be operated thereby to open communication between the cylinders and passages leadingto said source of explosivemixture, as and when the cylinders are brought under compression, and at other times to close the communications between said assages and cylinders; substantially as sl iown and described. 4

2. The combination with a plurality of cylinders, of a distributer having valve chambers with sliding valves therein, and having ducts in each valve-chamber each of which leads to a different cylinder, and having passages equal in number to the ducts 'leadlng from each valve-chamber to a source of" explosive mixture, the ducts and passages of each valve-chamber being so arranged with reference to each other that the valves are subjected to the fluid-pressure exerted by the compression strokes of the cylinders and causedt-hereby to move to open communication between the cylinder under com-. pression and the, source of fluid pressure, and at the same time to 'closethe communications bet-ween such chamber and the other cylinders; substantially as shown and described.

3. The combination with a plurality of cylinders, of a dist-ributer having a chamber adapted to receive. the explosive mixture trom a source of supply, valve chambers] with sliding valves therein, each valvechamber having ducts that lead in each case to a different chamber, and passages-equal in number to the ducts leading from each valve-chamberto the chamber for the explosive mixture, the ducts and passages of each' valve-chamber being so arranged with reference to each other that the valves are' 4. In a starting device for internal-001m bustion engines a dist-ributer comprising a body having a straight valve-passage there? I through terminating in two outlet-openings adapted to be connected respectively with 7 two cylinders of an en ine, said body being provided with oppositely-disposed valve seats adjacent the ends of said passage, and a valve-member movable in said passa e and having its opposite extremities forme to engage and seat against said valve-seats a'lternatively to control the outlet-openings, the body being providedfurtherwith an inletpassage adapted to be connected with a source 91 combustible mixture, the inlet-passage opening transversely into said valvepassage and being controlled by a checkvalve .to prevent the return of combustiblemixture therethrough.

EDVARD A. HALBLEIB. Vitnesses:

C. S. DAVIS, v

D. GURN E.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, v 

